Post-infectious opsoclonus and reversible magnetic resonance imaging changes: a case report and review of the literatures

Acta Neurol Taiwan. 2012 Jun;21(2):79-83.

Abstract

Purpose: Opsoclonus is a rare neurological disorder in adult. The etiology of opsoclonus includes parainfectious, paraneoplastic, toxic, and metabolic disorders. We reported an old female with post-infectious opsoclonus who had a benign clinical course and reversible brain MRI lesions, and its review of the literature.

Case report: A 67-year-old woman presented with opsoclonus and truncal ataxia for two weeks. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the hyperintensity lesions in bilateral medial thalamus, hypothalamus, and tegmentum of pons on Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging. Investigations of neoplasm and autoimmune disorders showed negative findings. Clinical symptoms subsided in two-week duration and MRI abnormalities also disappeared one month later.

Conclusion: A benign clinical course and reversible MRI lesions could be found in the patients with postinfectious opsoclonus such as our case. However, detailed investigations and long-term follow-up are needed to exclude paraneoplastic or other systemic and immunological disorders.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / therapeutic use
  • Aged
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / virology
  • Central Nervous System Viral Diseases / complications*
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / diagnosis
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / drug therapy
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / etiology*
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / virology*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Acyclovir